Chapter 2

The next day, Hermione and Draco ignored each other completely. When Hermione went down to breakfast, Harry and Ron were already there.

'Morning 'Mione,' greeted Ron. Except, it came out more like 'Mmmng Mma' due to the fact that he was stuffing his face with sausage.

'mornin'' she replyed as she helped herself to some bacon. As the owl came swooping down with the mail, she looked up. Straight into the eyes of Draco Malfoy. They stared at each other, until Harry spoke.

'Hermione? You alright?' Hermione snapped her head round to look at Harry, and turned red.

'Yeah, fine. Fine' she assured them.

"I think your coming down with something' Ron put in. 'You've gone all red, and you had bags under your eyes.'

Hermione thought quickly. 'Oh, it's nothing! I just swallowed a very hot bit of bacon!'

'What about the bags, Mione?' Ron pushed.

'I was up late last- ' she started, but harry cut her off.

'If the ferret-'

'No, no, it wasn't Malfoy.' She lied. 'No, I was just reading Hogwarts: A History and lost track of time'

Thankfully, her friends bought it, and asked no more.

She had no more encounters with Malfoy until that evening, when they sat in their common room, doing their homework, in a surprisingly comfortable silence. Malfoy kept glancing at Hermione out of the corner of his eye, and She didn't fail to notice.

'Anything wrong, Malfoy?' she asked. Draco jumped.

'Hm? Oh, no.'

What, no 'Mudblood', Hermione thought. She looked over at Draco, who seemed to be having some sort of internal struggle.

'You sure about that?'

'Yes!' he snapped. 'Actually, no' he said after a second. Hermione raised her eyebrow.

'I was wondering if you could possibly explain the Histroy of magic essay to me?'

Hermione couldn't help it, and laughed out loud. Draco Malfoy, pureblood, asking her, Hermione Granger, a muggle born who he so hates, for help!

'Fine! Sorry I asked, Granger'

'No no no no, I'll help, if you want. I was just taken by surprise by your civility is all.'

'I've changed, Granger' he muttered. Yes, you have, Hermione thought. Not once this term have you called me Mudblood.

After another hour of working, and helping Malfoy, Hermione packed up her stuff, and said goodnight. As she went up the staris to her room, she was sure she hear Draco relpy, 'G'Night….Hermione'.

Hermione was just dropping off when she heard a noise coming from the head boy's dorm. Oh Merlin, not again, she thought. She decied to ignore it this time, but as the whimper and cries got louder, she had second thoughts. Well, if he doent wake up soon, the whole castle will, she thought as she trudged toward his dorm. Once again, she burst though the door and shook the sleeping boy awake. Draco stared at her for a second, and then did something that took Hermione by surprise. He shot up, and took her into a bone-crushing hug, sobbing into her shoulder. Hermione hesitated before wrapping her arms around him. She rocked him and muttered word of comfort until he calmed down.

'You sure you don't want to talk about it?' she asked as he drew away. He smiled weakly. He sat back, and motioned for Hermione to make herself comfortable.

'It's quite a long story….' He began.

A/N: and the second chapter's up probably wont be able to update anytime soon, but I will do my best!